Fan attachment for rocking-chairs



(No Model.)

J. WEIGEL. PAN ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING CHAIRS.

Ila-538,566. Patented Apr.-30, 1895.

a rocker.

NITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOEL WEIGEL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FAN ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING-CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,566, dated April 30, 1895. I

Application filed May 10, 1894. Serial No. 510,810. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOEL WEIGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Fan Attachments for Rocking-Chairs; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of fan attachments for rocking-chairs, in which the movement of the chair is imparted to a vertical shaft, by the rotary motion of which the fan or fans are operated.

My invention consists of the constructions and combinations of devices which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of this class of devices, and

render their operation noiseless and, generally, more positive and efficient.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of myinvention, Figure 1 shows my fanning device attached to a rocking-chair with a fixed base. Fig. 2 shows the same attached to a common Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the parts on the upper fan-shaft, showing the manner of attaching the fans to the shaft and the shaft itself to the back of the rocker. Fig; 4 is a vertical section through the bottom attachment of the shaft, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing it as applied to a common rocker.

The chair A, shown inFig. 1, is of that type of rocker having-afixed base B.

O is the vertical shaft which carries a fan or fans D upon its upper end. The lower end of this shaft is twisted into a spiral c, which operates through a slotted nut suitably secured to the base of the chair. The construction and arrangement of this nut with relation to the spiral lower end of the shaft are such as to prevent noise, and is as follows: Secured to the base B of the chair is a bracket E, the upper end 6 of which is bent over and downwardly at an angle to form a socket, in which is seated a nut F of leather or hard rubber, or other suitable material, which will allow the noiseless engagement and operation of the spiral c of the shaft 0. This nut is held in place by means of a lower plate G bearing up under it, and secured to the bracket E.

The top of the bracket E, and the lower plate G, are of thin metal, and have holes through them large enough to'allow the spiral end 0 of the shaft 0 to pass freely through them so that there is no contact between these parts; but. the nut F has a narrow slotmade through it, whereby the spiral end 0 of the shaft 0 in passing up and down through it is axially rotated, to give the required movement of the fan or fans above. In order to make the shaft rise and fall, to pass through the nut, and effect this axial movement, it is connected with the moving chair back a at a point above, the connection being such as will, while allowing thenecessary movement of the parts, be of a noiseless character. 'It is formed by means of a bracket H secured to the chair back and having the upper and lower arms it within which are countersunk seats, in which are fitted leather or other similar washers I, between which washers is a collar c fixed to the shaft 0 by a set screw 0 The sh aft passes freely through enlarged holes in the arms h of the bracket H, and also passes through the leather washers and the collar. Thus the shaft is held lengthwise firmly in the bracket, while it is permitted to have its proper rotary motion, and there is no noise in this connection, nor any jar.

The fans D are secured to the upper end of the shaft by the following connection :-Upon the shaft is fitted an exteriorly threaded sleeve J, the lower end of which is tapered and split, to receive the correspondingly tapered tightening nut j which is screwed uponthe exterior of said sleeve. A clamping plate K is screwed upon said sleeve, and above this plate is an upper clamping plate K freely fitted upon the sleeve and adjusted and held by a nut is. Between these two plates the handles 01 of the fans D are clamped. This connection is a readily removable one, adapting the fans to be easily placed in position and removed therefrom when necessary."

In. the chair, shown in Fig, 2, which is of the common rocker type, I have pivoted at Z to one of the rockers of the chair, a lever L. This lever is preferably made of three sided angle iron in cross section, and carries a bearing roller M, whichrests upon the floor, said roller finding a partial housing within the cavity of the angle iron. To one end of this lever is secured a spring Z which holds the bearing roller constantly upon the floor.

The lower spiral end act the shaft 0 passes down through the rear end of the lever L, and is seated in a nut F therein, which said nut consists, as before described, of a leather or other similar piece. It lies in the cavity of the angle iron lever and is held therein by a metallic clampf also confined in the lever, so that these parts are well housed and protected.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fan attachment for rocking chairs consisting of the combination of a shaft having a spiral end, a non-metallic nut through which said end passes, a housing for the nut having an opening through it of greater diameter than the diameter of the shaft whereby a rocking movement is permitted the shaft in addition to its axial movement, and a noiseless connec tion is provided, and means connecting the shaft with the back of the chair.

2. The combination, with a fan shaft having a spiral end, and means for operating the same by the movement of the chair, of a noiseless connection between the shaft and chair consisting of a nut of leather or other nonmetallic material having an opening for the shaft, and a housing for the nut having an opening whose diameter exceeds that of the shaft wherebythe shaft'may rock or oscillate with the movement of the chair during the period of its axial movement, and yet be kept out of contact with the housing.

3. In a fan attachment for rocking chairs, the axially rotary shaft, in combination with means for holding the fans thereto, consisting of the externally threaded sleeveJon said shaft, having its lower end tapered and split lengthwise, a clamping plate screwed upon the lower end of the sleeve, a tightening nut on said end having a tapered opening therefor, a clamping plate loosely fitted on the sleeve and separated from the lower clamping plate to permit the introduction of the fan handles between said plates, and a nut engaging the sleeve and holding the upper clamping plate in place.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOEL WEIGEL.

WVitnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, H. F. ASGHEOK. 

